Breaking Down Social Anxiety Disorder And Panic Attacks

Many of us here on this blog people suffer with social anxiety disorder and to a greater degree,  social phobia.  As defined in medicine, a phobia is an irrational fear. People with social phobia are scared of most or all social situations. A person with social anxiety disorder is more acutely self-aware of themselves and the “mistakes” they are making in social setting. The disorder causes an unbearable or an uncomfortable sense of embarrassment for actions that would seem to be small nothings to a person not affected by the disorder. A stuttered word or a pen falling off a lectern as the speaker reads aloud to an audience creates high levels of fear in the sufferer.

Unbearable Fear

The overall fear of being judged or criticized are so unbearable that often physical symptoms manifest themselves to help our bodies cope with the additional stress of the social situation. Sweating, trembling or nausea are common ways our body will deal with the way the sufferer is feeling creating a fight-or-flight response that is not congruent with the actual happenings of the situation. The ultimate fear at the core of the social phobic is the fear of humiliation in front of others. Unfortunately for the sufferer, this often results in the person withdrawing socially.

Social Withdrawal

When a socially phobic individual begins to withdraw socially they are perpetuating and enabling the disorder to get the best of them. In fact it is not their fault because the sufferer is just doing what the body is conditioned to do in a situation of overwhelming fear: run. When you are being attacked by a bear or are in a life threatening situation you are conditioned to run or fight but for the social anxiety disorder sufferer this phobia impedes their social relationships and ability to live everyday life.

The Familiar, The Unfamiliar

Social phobia is also classified by adressing the unfamiliar. In a clinical sense this is know as cognitive behavioral therapy. We have all experienced anxiety or nervousness when we are on a first date or going for a first job. We feel as if we are being judged and it is right to feel that way – because we are! An socially phobic person may only be willing to interact with their close family or friends that they have know for years. This may be the only place the person feels at ease and relieved from their anxiety symptoms. The result is a smaller network of people to get to know and increased preassure or neediness from friends. This can also strain relationships for the sufferer.

Addressing The Problem

Everyone experiences anxiety – it is an important part of our makeup as humans. We are conditioned to experience anxiety. But when that anxiety becomes unbearable and is then defined as social anxiety disorder and we are forced to live out lives in fear of other people or social situations entirely, the time to seek help is now. Happiness often involves quality relationships with the people around us and people we haven’t yet met. Don’t allow yourself to miss out on the best parts of life because of your disorder help is out there if you look.

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